Underwater air supply regulator



Sept. 18, 1962 G. B. BLACKWELL UNDERWATER AIR SUPPLY REGULATOR Filed March 7, 1960 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,054,414 UNDERWATER AIR SUPPLY REGULATOR Gerald B. Blackwell, 5951 Los Angeles Way, Buena Park, Calif. Filed Mar. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 13,065 2 Claims. (Cl. 137-63) This invention relates generally to regulating devices and more particularly to an underwater air supply regulator for supp-lying air from a given bottle pressure source to a diver at sea depth pressure.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a greatly improved air supply regulator which will automatically regulate the pressure in a chamber carried by a diver to a value corresponding substantially to that at the particular sea depth pressure to which the diver is subject thereby facilitating breathing.

More particularly, an object is to provide an improved sea depth pressure regulator which is of annular construction with all moving parts centrally located to the end that the same are protected and to the further end that manufacturing of the device is simplified.

Another object is to provide an improved regulator which avoids the use of frictional sliding actions thereby doing away with the danger of binding or freezing of any of the movable parts.

Still another object is to provide an improved regulafor meeting the foregoing objects which may be very easily assembled and dissembled for adjustment and maintenance.

Briefly, these and many other objects and advantages of this invention are attained by providing an annular body having a hollow interior closed on one side by a first diaphragm to define within the interior of the body a first pressure chamber. A suitable connecting means for passing air from the chamber to the diver is provided. Another portion of the chamber in turn is arranged to receive air from a bottle pressure source through a suitable valve means. The valve means in turn is actuated by movement of the diaphragm so that the pressure within the chamber will be maintained in equilibrium with the outside sea depth pressure.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the structure includes an intermediate or step down pressure chamber connected to the principal pressure chamber by the aforementioned valve means. A second valve means is provided between the intermediate chamber and the bottle pressure source so that the regulation of the pressure can be effected in two steps and thus with greater accuracy. The entire body structure is annular in shape with the first and second valve means centrally disposed and secured in assembled relationship by a single knob type nut extending from the front exterior portion of the body to enable rapid manual assembly and dissembly.

A better understanding of the invention as Well as many other features and advantages thereof will be had by refer-ring to the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a general perspective view of the regulator body;

FIGURE 2 is a front view looking generally in the direction of the arrows 22 of FIGURE 1; and,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view with some of 3,fi54,4l4 Patented Sept. 18, 1962 the components shown in full lines taken generally in the direction of the arrows 33 of FIGURE 1.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, the regulator comprises an annular hollow body 10 housing a sea depth pressure chamber. An exhaling inlet connection 11 and an inhaling outlet connection 12 extend radially from the body 10 as shown. Suitable flexible hose couplings (not shown) pass from the connectors 11 and 12 to a suitable mouthpiece Worn by the diver. When the diver exhales or breaths air out, this air will enter the inlet connection 11 to pass through an exhalation chamber to the exterior of the body 10 as through an outlet opening 13 in its rear portion. Inhalation by the diver will draw air from the interior chamber through the connector 12 as will become clearer as the description proceeds.

To the rear portion of the annular body 10 there is provided an intermediate pressure chamber housing 14 and a bottle pressure chamber housing 15 including a pressure line 1-6 for connection to a suitable bottle pressure source of air (not shown). A lock handle 17 is provided to secure the end of the hose line 16 to the entrance of the chamber within housing 15.

The front of the annular sea depth pressure chamber housing 10 is protected by a front cover member :18, and as shown most clearly in FIGURE 2, this cover member includes a plurality of openings 19 so that the interior of the cover portion is subject to sea depth pressure. A central threaded knob 20 is provided for securing the various components within the body 14 in assembled relationship.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the sea depth pressure chamber, intermediate pressure chamber, and bottle pressure chamber are designated A, B, and C respectively. As shown the underside of the cover 18 is normally filled with water as indicated at 21 passing through the openlugs :19. The first or sea depth pressure chamber has its front side closed olf by a first flexible diaphragm 22. The other or rear side of the chamber A in turn is closed by a second flexible diaphragm 23. As shown in FIGURE 3, the outlet connecting means 12 opens into the chamber A between the diaphragms 22 and 23.

The second diaphragm 23 carries a first valve means including a valve body 24 provided with a first central opening 25. The opening 25 provides a communicating passage between the second intermediate pressure chamber B and the first chamber A. The first opening 25 is arranged to be closed off by action of a valve stem 26 terminating at one end in a first valve head 27 and at its other end in a flange structure 2 8. A first biasing spring 29 normally urges the head 27 over the first opening 25 so that the communicating passage between the chambers A and B is closed.

Operation of the valve stem 26 is effected by lever means comprising a pair of lever arms 30 and 31 pivoted intermediate their ends as at 32 and 33 to the annular body 10 and having their free ends arranged to engage respectively the inside of the diaphragm 22 and the flange structure 28. By this arrangement, it will be evident that inward movement of the diaphragm 22 as a consequence of a decrease of pressure in the first chamber A below the outside sea depth pressure will result in pivoting movements of the lever arms 30 and 31 to move the valve stem 26 to the right and thus open the opening 25 between the chambers A and B.

The chambers B and C are in turn arranged to be placed in communication by a second valve means including a valve stem 34 and a spider structure 35 at one end engaging the valve body 24. The other end of the stem 34 terminates in a second valve head 36 for closing a second opening 37 between the bottle pressure third chamber C and intermediate pressure second chamber B. As shown, the valve stem 34 extends through the second opening 37 so that movement of the stem 34 to the left will result in opening of the valve. A second biasing spring 38 disposed in the third chamber C normally holds the valve head 36 in its closed position. A third biasing spring 39 between the first valve body 24 and annular body structure is arranged in turn to oppose the spring pressure of the spring 38 through the medium of the first valve body 24 and second valve stem 34. Air supplied from line 16 is passed to the chamber (3 through end opening 40 arranged to be secured to the terminal end of the hose by threading of lock handle .17 as described in connection with FIGURE 1.

In addition to the foregoing, the regulator also includes a small exhalation chamber 41 defined by Wall means 42 in the upper portion of the first chamber A. As shown, this chamber 41 communicates with the exhalation connection 11 and is arranged to pass exhaled air received in the chamber 41 through a suitable check valve 43 to the exterior region 44 of the annular body 10 communicating with the outlet opening 13 as shown in the lower portion of FIGURE 3.

. As will be clear from FIGURE 3, the single assembly knob can be readily unthreaded to enable removal of the annular front cover 18 and diaphragm 22 to expose the interior of the regulator.

The operation of the regulator will now be described. The regulator is secured to the divers body with the line 16 connected to the conventional bottle pressure air source. The connections 11 and 12 in turn are connected by suitable hoses to the mouthpiece of the diver. As the diver descends into the sea, he will inhale through the outlet connection 12 and exhale into the inlet connection 11. When the diver inhales through the connection 12, the pressure in the first chamber A will be reduced. The outside sea depth pressure will thus urge the first diaphragm 22 inwardly or to the left as viewed in FIGURE 3. It will also be understood that as the diver descends into the sea, the increasing surrounding sea pressure will result in the diaphragm 22 moving inwardly into the first chamber A.

Inward movement of the diaphragm 22 will actuate the lever arms 30 and 31 to pivot the same about their pivot points 32 and 33 and result in the first valve stem 26 moving to the right. This action lifts the first valve head 27 from the opening and air will pass from the intermediate pressure chamber B to the sea depth pressure chamber A.

The corresponding reduction in pressure in the chamber B and increase of pressure in the chamber A will then cause the second flexible diaphragm 23 to move to the leftv carrying the entire valve body 24 with it. This leftward movement of the valve body 24 is communicated through the spider structure 35 and valve stem 34 to the second valve head 36 lifting the same from the second opening 37 and thus passing air at bottle pressure into the intermediate chamber B. When the chamber B attains its proper intermediate pressure, the second diaphragm 23 will move to the right thus closing the valve head 36 on the opening 37.

In connection with the foregoing, it should be noted that the valve body 24 moves independently of the first diaphragm 22, its degree of movement being controlled, however, by the third biasing spring 39. Suitable adjustment of the biasing spring 39 and the second biasing spring 38 acting on the second valve head 36 is efiected to maintain the pressure in the intermediate pressure chamber B at a desired intermediate value between the bottled pressure in the chamber C and the sea depth pressure in the chamber A. Thus, the pressure in the first chamber A is maintained at substantially the sea depth pressure.

When the diver exhales, the outlet air will pass into the inlet connection 11 and to the exhalation chamber 41. From the chamber 41, it will pass through the outlet check valve 43 to the annular region 44 and outlet opening 13 to the exterior.

When the sea depth pressure decreases as when the diver is surfacing, the tendency will be for the diaphragm 22 to move to the right, but this action will not aflect the valve stem 26 since the valve can only: be actuated when the lever arms are rotated to lift against the flange structure 28. The differential in pressure, however, as a consequence of reduction of sea depth pressure is readily adjusted by air passing out the connection 12 and through the divers mouthpiece back through connection 11 and out through check valve 43.

From the foregoing description, it will be evident that the present invention provides a greatly improved regulator in which proper sea depth pressure will always be substantially maintained in the first chamber A. As a consequence of the use. of the intermediate step down pressure chamber B, the pressure difference between any two successive chambers is no greater than half the difference between the sea depth pressure and bottle source pressure so that over or under pressurization upon actuation of the valves is minimized.

Moreover, as a consequence of the annular construction with the valve means centrally located and a single securing knob the manufacture of component parts is simplified and assembly and disassembly is facilitated.

While only a single embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described, it will be evident that modifications falling within the scope and spirit of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. The underwater air supply regulator is therefore not to be thought of as limited to the specific example set forth merely for illustrative purposes.

What is claimed is:

.1. An under water air supply regulator for supplying air from a given bottle pressure source to a diver at sea depth pressure, comprising, in combination: an annular body having a hollow interior defining a first sea depth pressure chamber; an inhaling flexible tube connection communicating with said first chamber from which said diver inhales breathing air at sea depth pressure; a sea depth pressure responsive first diaphragm separating one side of said first chamber from the sea and subject to said sea depth pressure; an intermediate pressure chamber housing secured to the opposite side of said annular body and defining a second intermediate pressure chamber; an intermediate pressure responsive second diaphragm separating said other side of said first chamber from said second chamber; a first control valve body carried by said second diaphragm in its central portion and including a first central opening connecting said first chamber with said second chamber; a valve stem centrally positioned in said first chamber terminating in one end in a first valve head for closing said first opening; a first biasing spring urging said first head against said opening with a first given pressure, the other end of said stem terminating in a flange structure; lever means pivoted to said annular body and having their opposite free ends in engagrnent with said first diaphragm and said flange structure respectively so that inward movement of said first diaphragm in response to inhalation by the diver pivots said lever meansto lift said valve head and place said first chamber in communication with said second chamber; a bottle pressure chamber housing connected to said intermediate pressure chamber housing and defining a thirdbottle pressure chamber; a second valve body including a second central opening connecting said second chamber with said third chamber; a valve stem extending through said opening and terminating in said third chamber in a second valve head for closing said second opening, the other end of said valve stem being connected to and for movement with said second diaphragm; a second biasing spring in said third chamber urging said second valve head against said second opening; and a third biasing spring urging said second diaphragm in a direction to open said second opening, the opposing pressures exerted by said second and third biasing springs and said given pressure exerted by said first biasing spring being such as to maintain pressure in said second chamber intermediate said bottle pressure and sea depth pressure and to maintain automatically a pressure in said first chamber corresponding substantially to said sea depth pressure.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, in which said annular body includes internal wall means defining an exhalation chamber; an exhaling flexible tube connection communicating with said exhalation chamber into which said diver exhales breathed air; and a one way check valve between said exhalation chamber and the exterior for passing air only from said exhalation chamber, to said exterior.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,695,609 Nourse Nov. 30, 1954 2,757,680 Fay Aug. 7, 1956 2,891,569 Goodner June 13, 1959 2,946,340 Hollman July 26, 1960 

